Mindset, Learning, Collaboration

Category Archives: working from home

What will the future of work look like for you?

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The future of work

If you are struggling to find your place in the world of work that currently binds you to the 9 to 5 work day that includes a commute to work then perhaps you would be interested in working differently in our changing world of work. If you haven’t already noticed it, how we work and where we work have changed significantly in the last decade. Maybe you need to consider how you can use your skills and experience to work differently so you get more of what you want. For me it’s flexibility, over the last 12 years I have needed to work around my family commitments. What are you looking for? Whatever it is it can be achieved if you start by looking at the current digital landscape as an opportunity.

We are working differently

Consider the already changing way in which work is being done from when you first started work. Technology has changed the work landscape significantly. I no longer need to travel to my clients for all the interactions I have with them. For example I can have a virtual online meeting with a new staff member to train them on the use of my system.  I can see them, they can see me, we can record our meeting and review what was said, we can share information on screen in real time and if we need to bring in anyone else we can invite them in too – no matter where they are.

HR professionals and managers too have used skype to interview talent for more than 10 years now, making it possible to employ the right person for the job no matter where they live. Working remotely has also never been easier and is becoming more and more accepted. How many of you know at least one person who works remotely? I know at least 4.

We want different things

So we know technology is enabling change but, what is driving this change in work? Technology is replacing functions that are time consuming and in our current digital environment we expect thing to available quickly. We don’t like wasting time. This will be even more relevant to the Millennials who have grown up in this instant world and they are changing our world of work already. Staying in one job, doing the same thing day in and day out will not be tolerated by millennials who expect to be entertained when ever they want. They have ideals, causes and are motivated by these and not by money. Money is important yes but freedom and variety are more important.

What can you do?

First, ask yourself if it is possible to do your work, or the majority of it from anywhere? If some tasks need face to face interaction can this be done by an online meeting?

Secondly, could what you be done on line or out sourced? Would you consider contracting on a short or long term basis?

Thirdly, could you or you and a business partner set up a business contracting to businesses anywhere doing all or part of what you do?

Fourth, do you need help understanding the digital landscape so you know what is possible?

We have lots of free information on the Anywhere  Business Network website so feel free to look through this. We highly recommend you check out our video series if you are thinking of a change so you have all the support you need on this journey. We even have a 30 day free trial to our online learning platform where you will collaborate with others just like you who are in various stages of development of their work life. They are all learning about having a mindset that will take them where they want to go. They are all setting aside any spare time they have to learn from those who are sharing their experiences, mentoring, encouraging and challenging those who are telling them “yes, I need to think differently, I need a change, I am ready to learn, work with me”

We are AWB are here to help you. Check us out. Here our stories.  Subscribe to our newsletter or various social media platforms and kick start you new career or business into life.

Working online

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My story

Working online

I have worked for myself for more than 15 years and I love the work. So what have I learned?

  • I love working when I want. This flexibility doesn’t mean I don’t work hard. It sometimes means working outside the 9-5. This comes with its challenges.. the lines between when the work day finishes and ends are sometimes blurred. It’s important to have boundaries… I have written blogs on this.
  • I don’t enjoy managing my cash flow so I joined forces with my business partner in Anywhere Business and he helps me to understand how to do this better.  I have learned that I like working with others so I took the opportunity to work in partnership with a friend. We have totally different businesses but we are both learning about promoting our businesses online so it made sense to support each other and share the load and the cost.
  • I like working with others and exchanging ideas. This can be difficult when you are in business alone. I enjoy the interaction of ideas through collaboration. I joined Toastmasters to learn new skills and gain confidence. I found a mentor in my local business association. I spoke to friends and family and finally, I searched the internet for ideas. In my search for ways to grow my business online through collaboration, I found an online training program SFM that gives me just that. I was very skeptical at first. There was a free trial so I gave it a go. There are modules to work through and online webinars I can attend live or listen to when I can. I can do it at my own pace in my own time. I now have a huge community of people learning like I am who I am talking to and learning from who are all over the world. I also love to hear about all their businesses and what they do.

Not long after I joined SFM I spoke to Andrew (Anywhere Business Network partner) who lives in another town about 5 hours from me, about how it was helping me. We have worked together before on a big project. We knew we worked well together. I often collaborated with him via Skype about my business so I knew how he thought, how he worked. We decided to pool resources and be business partners at SFM. Anywhere Business Network was born and we now share all we have learned with you. We hope you will find inspiration from us and start to collaborate with us or others in the same way for the benefit of your business.

Working Online

We have developed some free planning tools to get you started but we recommend you join SFM too so you can learn how to operate your business confidently in the digital world by working online. Maybe you know a friend who might join you or maybe you are happy to begin alone and see how it goes first.

We hope you gain a lot from us through this website. Watch the free video and sign up for the free trial and find out if it is right for you.

It has been our experience that those who invest in online training and marketing using a mentor have seen the best results.

Kerri Bainbridge

Working online

Getting the most out your working day

 

How do you work with Millennials?

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Work Life Balance CommentManaging Millennials

Millennials! Born between the early 1980’s and the early 2000’s, this generation are now representing a significant portion of the work force. The word itself has come to symbolize not only a generation of people but the entire modern condition brought on by technology, globalism, interconnectedness, diminishing attention spans and a heightened sense of self-importance.

Not only are we selling products to this generation but we are employing them so its important that we look at how best to manage this shift in your business. But first I just wanted to remind you of two things. First, generational disruption is inevitable since each generation had different needs. If you don’t understand how to get the best from each then someone else will. Second, while discussing generalities is useful, remember that each person on your team, regardless of age, is an individual and should be viewed and treated as such.

Millennials who are your employees

Research and surveys conducted over the last few years have revealed that younger workers want to feel good about what they do. In the office/at work, millennials want a firsthand view of the impact of the work they do. They wan to know – is there a clear connection between their daily tasks and the greater vision of the organization? Can they have real influence over that vision and the end product your organization produces? If you can define the significance of the role each member of your team plays, they will be more internally motivated and committed.

On another level, millennials want the companies they work for to be change agents in the world. This generation is very engaged in social issues. They have a strong belief that what they do 40 hours a week should contribute, in some way, to making the world a better place. So here’s what you can do: Make sure you highligt your companies philanthropic efforts. Another way to demonstrate your sense of social responsibility is to organise volunteer activities. Pick a cause or causes, allot some time during the workday, encourage your team to get involved and spend time volunteering together. You can use these as team building opportunities, which make them even more important to consider.

Another theme that is emerging as millennials take over the work world is flexibility.Millennials want more control over whenthey work, wherethey work, howthey work and whatthey work on. This generation have a hard time coming to grips with a 9-5 work day since the world online is 24/7 and is always ready when they are. Younger workers also understand more about flow states, inducing peak performance and creating conditions that foster creativity. They believe they can be just as effective working from home a couple hours in the early morning, taking a long lunch, and then coming into the office or meeting clients for coffee. Making these accommodations, when appropriate, will go a long way in getting buy-in from your millennial employees. It’s also likely to result in better work and more effort from your team. You will also find younger workers are looking for rolesthat are more fluid and flexible. The digital world they grew up in has been changing and growing and teaching them constantly. At work they want to continue to learn and develop new skills. They do this by stretching their responsibilities and tackling new opportunities as they are presented. Rewarding well-done work with money is easy. But, offering new responsibilities and being open to new approaches really communicates to your team that you value them and that you want for them, what they want for themselves.

Finally, members of the millennial generation consistently mention authenticityas a trait they value. This is quite the buzz word online. Be authentic. Be yourself. Millenials really respond to geniune, direct communication -this is possibly a reaction to their heavy exposure to marketing. So, be upfront and give feedback that is clear and honest. This way they will be confident they know where they stand which will alleviate anxiety and increase their sense of loyalty.

Regardless of the kind of business you’re in, if they are not already, Millennials will soon dominate your workforce. Millennials are incredibly creative, adaptive and competent. In order to best harness that talent, you have to create a culture and environment that empowers younger workers. That means being committed to authenticity and flexibility while taking opportunities to make the world a better place.

Kerri Bainbridge

One half of the Anywhere Team NZ

www.anywherebusiness.co.nz

5 questions to ask yourself before you start a new home business

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Many like the idea of working for themselves but it is for some it is not all it is cracked up to be. Its hard work for starters and often not as flexible as you think. However, if you plan right you can make it work for you. But this blog is not about how to run a successful business its about determining if you should start a home business.

There are great advantages of starting a home business like:

  • flexible work hours
  • work where you choose

You would think the list is longer but you cant really say work where you want, when you want, how you want and with who you want unless you are really lucky. If you want to be successful you will need to work when your clients need you and for as many hours as it takes. Sometimes you have to work with people clients you dont like because they pay you. Working where you want is not always possible either as most people think working from home is easy but it can be very distracting and renting a room outside the home can be expensive.

Here are 5 questions you should ask yourself before you start a home business:

  1. Do you have the right space to work in?For some this might even be working outside the home in the clients office, for others it will be at home or from their car. It is important to have a comfortable place to work and a secure place to store stock, files and tax documents. If you are going to work at home then make sure it is free from disctraction and ensure friends and family know your work hours are not socialising hours. Setting up a space to work is not cheap. Find out how much office furniture will cost so you have things like a suitable computer, software, printer, laminator, chair, shelving, filing cabinet, mobile phone…..yes there are lots of things you might need. If you cant work from home then find out how much it costs to rent some space locally.
  2. Are you best when you work with others or on your own?Chances are that you wont enjoy working for yourself if you like to work in a team. However if you have people you can get together with to bounce ideas off and get advice from you might be ok. You may want to consider having a business partner if you like working with others but like the idea of working for yourself. This comes with its own headaches though so its important to think this through.
  3. Do you have a head for all the aspects of running a business?Marketing and Sales (including social media), packaging and shipping, tax, invoicing and all that goes with managing cashflow, business planning, customer service (including complaints) and Website design. If you dont have all these skills maybe a business partner would, you could outsource it or learn to do it. If you have to learn to do it you need time and money. If you pay someone to do it then you will save time but it will cost you money.
  4. Do you know if there is a market for what you want to sell ?No point in you being the only one sold on your idea. This point is related to point 4. You will need to do some market research and get to know your market. Are you prepared to take the time to do this?
  5. Do you have back up money to ensure you can survive for 3-6 months?If workign for yourself involves you quitting your day job then you will need to cover all your regular bills for 3-6 months while you get started. If you dont have this then think about starting smaller. Make a plan to do some learning about things like social media marketing, web design, cash flow, developing a business plan, reduce your work hours and work part time while you build your business up.

If you have a passion for starting a business of your own it doesnt have to be instead of your day job. It could be as well as if you harness the power of social media and online marketing. My hope is that you ask yourself these questions to before you start a home business. Sit down now and make a list of what you need to do if you want to have your own business. I hope you have found these questions helpful.

Kerri Bainbridge

One half of the Anywhere Team NZ

www.anywherebusinessnetwork.co.nz

Is being too busy affecting your health?

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Is busyness affecting your health and wellbeing?

No matter what you do for a living, you need to feel that you have been productive. I know what its like to feel like you have had a busy day but cant think what you have achieved. It feels like you were just reacting to things rather than planning to do them. This is not productive it is reactive. Under these circumstances it is very easy to drift along and feel as though you must be successful because you are so busy. Busy does not mean success. In fact in most cases it is simply a reflection that you are just surviving.

I am sure some of you will be able to say that you are financially successful and so this cannot be true. But, what is this business doing to your health and well being? If you are exhausted, stressed and tired then the answer is yes. Is this what you want in your life? If its not then you might want to think about changing the way you approach your day from a reactive one to one where you plan what you are going to do. This might not sound simple when you can see all the work that needs to be done but if you take this time you will gain the time back in your business and in your life because you will have better health and well being. Have you considered what the stress of a busy job does for your relationships with others? Maybe you are not being the kind of partner, friend or parent you want to be because you are tired and stressed.

Its time to take back the power and make a few small changes that could change your outlook on your business and your life. Try these planning tools. Give yourself 21 days to really make a change.

3 planning tips to set you up for a productive day

1. Top 3 tasks

Every morning, make a list of the top 3 things you want to achieve that day. You may have a bigger “to do list” and that’s good but you need to prioritise them. Select 1 big one and 2 small easy ones. Ideally the 2 smaller ones can be knocked off in one day. With the big one you will need to have several sub goal because it is so big. See my blog to help with this. It is important to set yourself up to have a good day and feel you have achieved something. If you don’t plan to achieve anything you will constantly feel like you never achieve anything. Logical right? So many people just get up and look at all the tasks and try to get as much done as they can. Stop doing this. You need to see progress.

For me the small tasks are things like – get out todays orders or get out 10 orders in 2 hours or spend 2 hours answering emails. If you just sit at your computer an answer all your emails or fill every order you may never get to anything else. You may need to set up an auto email response to say you aim to answer all emails within 2 working days. You may need a similar one for orders that state when an order will be filled. If you can do better than your stated response time you will and this will make the customer happy but they knew not to expect anything else.

2. 50/10 rule

Work on one important task for 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute break. Refocus, start a fresh and get back to your to-do list (see point 1). During this 10 minute break I recommend:

  1. you don’t just have coffee during this break. Do something physical like stretching or go for a quick walk around the house or garden.
  2. you make sure you have plenty of water to sip on during the day and reduce your coffee in take to 2-3 cups a day.Distraction Management

  3. Use a diary

You might use a paper diary or a digital diary but if you don’t use it well you will not feel you are on top of things. I use google calendar on my phone and this syncs with my online calendar in google. When I first started using my digital diary I also used a paper diary as I like to see things on paper. It might take you a while to let go of your paper diary too. Find something that works for you. The thing I found hardest was talking to clients and booking the appointment at the same time. I eventually found a way to fix that. What I did was to have an online booking system with set times I was available. This sent them a reminder too which helped with no shows. There are lots of online booking systems and the free ones don’t have reminders. I found it was worth paying for it.

You can invite clients to an appointment on google calendar and hope it ends up in their calendar. That’s free. This relies on you to take the booking and set it up. If you pay for a system you put in your time slots and clients choose a time. This saves heaps of time if you are looking for time savings.

In summary, don’t let your day rule you. A bit of planning and good work habits will turn busyness into productiveness and ultimately better health and well being.

 

Kerri Bainbridge

One half of the Anywhere Team

New Businesses

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New Businesses

I came across two interesting businesses that are new for the 21st century

  1. The personal concierge

A personal concierge service runs on the most basic of premises. People want things done but don’t have the time to do them.  This works extremely well with tourism. Picture yourself in a strange town knowing no one and this service is on offer! Concierges are finding their services are needed more than ever. People are more and more comfortable with the concept of passing along their errands to personal concierges.

Services to Offer

With the industry growing and developing the way it is, it’s impossible to give a complete list of services personal concierges provide. Who knows what new service might be offered next week? But this list of some of the services personal concierges can offer might help you come up with a few ideas for services you can provide to your clients:

  • Pet-sitting
  • Light housekeeping
  • Car repairs, oil change, car wash
  • Event planning
  • Gift-buying
  • Plant care
  • Running miscellaneous errands
  • Relocation services
  • Making travel arrangements
  • Meal pickup; some chef services
  • Dinner reservations
  • Interior decorating
  • Landscaping
  • Maid service
  • Carpet cleaning
  • Concert/movie reservations, etc.
  • Grocery shopping
  • Locating hard-to-find items and collectibles

 

  1. Personal Walker

These people charge by the kilometer and walk with the client giving them information about the walk, listening and chatting. There are many reasons why someone would want this service as we all know that walking alone is ok sometimes but generally works better with someone. This also leans its self towards tourism as well.

New Businesses

So it is interesting what the 21st century has to offer! One clear fact remains, in order to do this business communication and business skills are required! We could help!

 

Andrew

One Half of the Anywhere Business Network

Kairos Effect

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Déjà vu

The Kairos Effect. Have ever had that moment of synchronicity when your hairs on the back of the neck rise or your body feel a warmth or gut starts murmuring and you know the situation you are in is familiar to you in that you have experienced it before! A feeling cloaks you with joy and happiness and occasionally trepidation! The ancient Greeks had a word for this the Kairos moment e.g. word meaning the right, critical, or opportune moment. Body balance is all about getting your mind body and soul aligned and that Kairos moment is seen by some as the presence of the soul! The ancient Tibetans showed that by aligning the energy centers of the body that enlightenment, by way of freeing the mind and body from distractions, could be given a chance to develop.  It seems the body has centers where emotions and behaviors are manifest. This phenomenon when developed allows us to listen to our body and mind to see the presence of the soul! 15th-century Gregorian monks used chanting to connect with there source and analysis of the notes match with charka tones used to clear the chakras. The Kairos moments then have a chance to develop and that wondrous ability to know if by instinct that you are on the right track or opportunity has arisen. In recent times there has been a resurgence in finding that source.

 

 

So next time you have a Kairos effect moment remember the possibilities!

Andrew

Half of the Anywhere Business Network

3 planning tips to set you up for the day

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Be inspired to plan your day

Are you celebrating your successes? If you are not then you are probably not setting any goals. Here are my 3 top tips for successfully planning your day and feeling like you have achieved something.

  1. Plan to do your top 3 tasks

Every morning, make a list of the top 3 things you want to achieve that day. You may have a bigger “to do list” and that’s good but you need to prioritise them. Select 1 big one and 2 small easy ones. Ideally the 2 smaller ones can be knocked off in one day. With the big one you will need to have several sub goal because it is so big. See my blog on Planning a Successful Year to help with this. It is important to set yourself up to have a good day and feel you have achieved something. If you don’t plan to achieve anything you will constantly feel like you never achieve anything. Logical right? So many people just get up and look at all the tasks and try to get as much done as they can. Stop doing this. You need to see progress.

For me the small tasks are things like – get out todays orders or get out 10 orders in 2 hours or spend 2 hours answering emails. If you just sit at your computer an answer all your emails or fill every order you may never get to anything else. You may need to set up an auto email response to say you aim to answer all emails within 2 working days. You may need a similar one for orders that state when an order will be filled. If you can do better than your stated response time you will and this will make the customer happy but they knew not to expect anything else.

  1. 50/10 rule

Work on one important task for 50 minutes and then take a 10 minute break. Refocus, start a fresh and get back to your to-do list (see point 1). During this 10 minute break I recommend:

  • you don’t just have coffee during this break. Do something physical like stretching or go for a quick walk around the house or garden.
  • you make sure you have plenty of water to sip on during the day and reduce your coffee in take to 2-3 cups a day.

  1. Use a diary

You might use a paper diary or a digital diary but if you don’t use it well you will not feel you are on top of things. I use google calendar on my phone and this syncs with my online calendar in google. When I first started using my digital diary I also used a paper diary as I like to see things on paper. It might take you a while to let go of your paper diary too. Find something that works for you. The thing I found hardest was talking to clients and booking the appointment at the same time. I eventually found a way to fix that. What I did was to have an online booking system with set times I was available. This sent them a reminder too which helped with no shows. There are lots of online booking systems and the free ones don’t have reminders. I found it was worth paying for it.

You can invite clients to an appointment on google calendar and hope it ends up in their calendar. That’s free. This relies on you to take the booking and set it up. If you pay for a system you put in your time slots and clients choose a time. This saves heaps of time if you are looking for time savings.

Let me know how you are going with these. Give us your feedback on Facebook or here in the comments.

Kerri Bainbridge

Positive Attitude

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Positive Attitude

When you are working the number one feeling is having a positive attitude.

Take yesterday, for example, a friend told me he would help re-roof the garage six months ago and arrived at 9.00am. I jumped at the opportunity and then spent the next eight hours stripping and putting on new iron. I got blisters on my hands and cut my fingers. It was a glorious situation when the weather forecast on the radio expected thunder and lightning later on in the day and we sped up work. I loved doing the work. We completed it and I then obtained the necessary supplies required when a friend puts in an effort and for the next hour sat admiring the work from the shelter of the porch as the heavens came down. I could feel my body in all sorts of places the yoga I do does not go. When I bid my farewells I drew a hot bath and scrubbed the rust and grim off, dried my self off and felt like a million bucks. I felt satisfied.

My attitude got me thru.

 

If you carry a positive attitude with love and passion for what you are doing it helps!

 

 

Andrew

One Half of Anywhere Business Network

Motivation Passion Love

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What is your Motivation?

Motivation can take many forms. The best motivation I have found is one where I have feelings. Negative emotions make me make mistakes and I end up with costly rework when I am fired up with a passion for something I love my productivity goes thru the roof! So it was a no-brainer for me to pursue my passions and deal with the negative by acceptance or outsourcing! I also started to chip away at the negative by changing my mindset, allowing the diversity of opinion and using meditation to reinforce the acceptance of things that spurred negative emotion. I also used time management to get the daily routine into one where I was in control of my emotions.
owed me to be fired up

  • That allowed the love!

  • That allowed the passion!

  • That all and perform!

What are you doing to fire that passion 365 days a year? Motivation is required!

 

Andrew

Half of Anywhere Business Network

Beat the Sunday night blues- kickstart your working week

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Take a look at these great spaces that I found on Houzz, and let me know what you think.

Beat the Sunday-Night Blues and Kickstart Your Working Week

Mondayitis is real, but there are ways to turn things around – what you do on Sunday can impact the whole week ahead

11 February 2018
Houzz editorial team. Photojournalist specialising in design, travel and living well….
As the weekend draws to a close and Monday looms ever closer, it’s time to step up and take action. Not over-the-top exhausting action; gentle action that will ease the dread of Sunday night and sweeten the start to your week. Who knows – adopt a few of these simple habits and Monday morning might start to look a whole lot brighter. Dare I say you may even begin to look forward to the start of the working week?
Scandinavian Bedroom by The Designory
Brighten up your day
Make Sunday the day you change the sheets. Fresh, sun-dried sheets – linen if possible – can make climbing into bed of a Sunday night a pleasure. Reserving little joys like these for when you need a bit of a lift can make a surprising difference.
Contemporary Exterior by Studio Gorman
Dedicate Sundays to you-time
Action-packed weekends are fun, but if you get to Sunday night and feel like you need a weekend to recover from your weekend, it’s time for a rethink. An obligation-free day can give you the headspace you need to recharge for the week ahead. And you know what they say – the best ideas often pop into your head when they have the space to do so.Tip: Going out on Friday night is often better than on Saturday night, simply because you wake up on Saturday morning with the sense that the whole weekend is ahead of you. Wake up on Sunday, on the other hand, and the feeling is often one of dread – the weekend can seem like it’s almost over.

Transitional Home Office by Colourcube Interiors
Get a bit organised
Spend 20 minutes paying bills, crossing items off your household to-do list and making a list for the week ahead. This will give you a sense of control over any chaos rattling around in your head, thus relieving any stress you’re unwittingly holding in the process.Tip: Try planning your meals for the week on Sunday – and order the ingredients online – to streamline your week and boost the chances you’ll eat healthily. You don’t have to be naturally organised to bring this routine to life – just think of it as freeing up energy. The more decision making you can reduce during the week, the more energy you’ll have to dedicate to more rewarding pursuits.

Eclectic Kitchen by Joanna Thornhill Interiors
Make joy not war
Take the time to do something you really enjoy on Sunday – something that leaves you feeling nourished rather than depleted at the end of the day. Play your favourite tunes while you bake, roll out your mat on the back deck and do a yoga session, get out your guitar and play some old favourites, play cards with your partner or invite a friend over to do the same.Tip: If you can give your eyes and brain a rest from screens one day during the week, this is the day to do it. A digital detox can be positively restorative.

Modern Kitchen by Sheri Haby Architects
Take stock
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with the magnitude of what you have to accomplish in the week ahead, particularly if you have a stressful job or are juggling family and work demands. It’s also easy to focus on what you don’t have – enough time, enough money, enough fulfilment – rather than what you do have. Use Sundays to count your blessings. If you live alone, write down some of the great things in your life in a journal dedicated to the purpose. If you live with others, sit down together for dinner on Sunday night and make it a weekly ritual to go around the table, taking turns to answer the question: What are you grateful for?Tip: Avoid the temptation to judge someone on what they’re thankful for (or what they’ve forgotten to mention). If they make a joke of it, that’s OK too. The less pressure they feel, the more likely they’ll answer more authentically next time.

Contemporary Family Room by Sally Carson Interiors
See your home in a new light
Look around your living space – does it make you happy to spend time there? If not, it might be time for a mini makeover. It needn’t be expensive – buy or create a new artwork to transform the space, wallpaper a feature wall, inject some fresh colour with cushions and throws, paint a chair and pop it in a corner, rearrange your bookshelves by colour, hang an oversized mirror, rearrange the furniture, add greenery with a fabulous new plant. Do whatever it takes to breathe fresh life into the room and you’re sure to feel invigorated every time you walk in.
Transitional Kitchen by Milestone Building Pty Ltd
Go easy on yourself
Either share the load when it comes to making dinner on Sunday night or throw some ingredients into the slow cooker on Sunday morning so your evening is relaxed and largely chore free.Tip: If this is the one night of the week you sit down as a family to have dinner, ensure it’s a meal everyone loves and give it a sense of occasion – the good glasses, a tablecloth if you have one and candles. It doesn’t take a lot of extra effort to make dinner special.

Scandinavian Bedroom by Caroline McCredie
Decide how your week will go
There’s a reason athletes are taught to visualise winning the race, breaking that record and holding the championship cup over their head – it has a direct impact on their chances of success. The same tactic can be applied to your own life. Setting an intention for the week ahead is the first step, then visualise what will happen when that intention comes to fruition. Imagining how it feels to achieve your desired outcomes will have you bounding out of bed Monday morning, ready to take on the world. After coffee, of course.
Your say
What do you do on Sundays to ease into the week ahead? Share your ideas in the Comments, and be sure to like, bookmark or share this story. Join the conversation.

Are you really working by yourself when you work for yourself?

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I have been doing a lot of Facebook live posts about gathering a team around you when you work for yourself because its important you dont see working for yourself as working alone. Why is this important?

If you have come from a team based environment it can be hard to get used to working by yourself. There doesnt seem to be anyone to bounce ideas around with, no one to ask when you get stuck on that computer program or task you know someone else helped you out with, no one to have a coffee with or catch up on the weekend sport with. This is not the same as missing working for someone else. Its about loving the energy of working in a team.

Advice on money

It is possible to work in a team when you work for yourself. It involves gathering around you people who help you do what you do. Your accountant helps with the finances so it make sense that you seek advice and discuss ideas with your accountant around how you should spend or risk your money. Some accountants are very skilled business coaches too. They can help with business plans and financial coaching. If yours isnt helpful you need to find one who is. (Andrew is great if you need one info@anywherebusinessnetwork.co.nz)

Mentoring

Maybe you have a friend or aquantance you have admired for their head for business. How about asking them to be a sounding board for you. You could approach you local business chamber or business development group to see if they have business mentors.

Business partner

Having a business partner often makes good sense. You each should have strenghts the other values and have the abiltiy to share the work load and contribute to the business financially. Hey presto, you now have a person to share ideas, money, learning… everything.

Online business community

There are lots of great online learning forums that you a great community of people doing and learning just like you. Find one and start talking to people. When you get personal and share you will find lots of people come out of the woodwork and give.

Let me know if this has helped you.

Kerri Bainbridge

One half of the Anywhere Team NZ

www.anywherebusinessnetwork.co.nz 

Mindful Business

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Is your Business Responsible?

Five Pillars of a Mindful Business

Five pillars of mindful business

It is great to have a business but having a mindful business appeals to more people than just a single focus on sales. The world can only be sustainable if you work with the world, and not against it. What will your great grandchildren think about the legacy you leave them?

  1. Environment

Look at your waste and energy footprints.

  1. Community Involvement and Development

Are you volunteering and being active.

  1. Diversity and inclusion

Are you equal in your outlook in the diversity of belief and abilities?

  1. Wellbeing

Are you promoting health and exercise of the mind, body, and soul?

  1. Operating Practices

Are morality and ethics socially acceptable?

 

Ultimately this is the responsible business! Are you planning to change?

 

I have always worked from home and have to mindful of energy, family life, breaks, the inclusion of all beliefs and abilities. I live in a very special place which wants its area preserved. I volunteer for community activities and participate to support the community. I consider my scorecard to always be a work in progress.

What does your scorecard look like?

 

Andrew Elphick

One Half of Anywhere Business Network

Sustainability

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What is your footprint like?

Sustainability

I spent a couple of hours after Topical cyclone Fehi cleaning up a beach area in my hometown of Greymouth after sea erosion had reopened a dump closed 25 years ago. The rubbished consisted of Styrofoam and plastic shopping bags. Now the smell was still pungent I got my gloves on and  picked up my share of 5 large bags. Now I really understand that plastic just does not go away. These days a lot of plastic is recycled, but then a lot isn’t! In New Zealand, 69% is recycled and that leaves the other 31% for a legacy for our great-grandchildren. A way to reduce this is to eliminate plastic bags in your life! Buy some jute bags to take to the supermarket, insist on paper/cardboard coffee cups, even better drink out of China! It is not only plastic but the way we do business! When is the last time you cycled or walked to an appointment? I am lucky that on the West Coast of New Zealand 100% of our power comes from renewable energy, however if your energy comes from carbon sources start thinking about turning things off! In the end what legacy do you want to leave? Remember working from home in a digital environment cuts down on your energy use immensely!

 

Andrew

One Half of the Anywhere Business Network

My other office

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My other office

The other office is required from time to time. Even in a digital business you still need face to face contact. I live in a remote part of the world where nature still rules supreme. The 1000-year-old trees have witnessed many things. In living here one has to be present and fully aware on the journey, as many surprising things can put up in more ways than one.

So I needed to assist a client in Franz Josef Glacier village with their accounting system and be at a book launch with an author client in Fox Glacier so my office hit the road. I experienced a range of emotions on the journey but focussed on being present, experiencing the joy of driving and the sites that were evident.

In the end, the personal contact for an hour or so cements the digital contact for the rest of the year in the meeting of minds that takes place. I saw the emotions of the book launch and the brisk sales as well as the dignitaries speeches while at the same time being in one of the most beautiful places in the world.

Bliss

Andrew

Half of Anywhere Business Network

Time to change

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Time

Time is at a premium in all our lives, however, time management can produce time for you! The tools that are available today to work and earn money are amazing. Automation of sales funnels and virtual assistants can allow you to focus on driving your business to the next level by producing content that your tribe is interested in! There are some amazing loving people out around the world who can mentor and assist you gain that edge by seeing and learning the use of those tools! Would it not be great to be able to have that time to ground yourself on that beach, feeling the sand between your feet? With the right tools making the time to do that is achievable!

The net result is cultivating joy in your day and when you have that it will assist in rekindling the passion in your business!

Do you want to no more about how those tools work? Sign up for a 30 trial!

 

Andrew Elphick

Half of the Anywhere Business Network

Focus

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Focus?

The Hear and Now

We all at some time, look towards the future and have a moment of imagination and creativity as towards how we would like to feel in say 5 years time. I know that the new year is a time for reflation in my life. This is great provided we take stock of the here and now, the present! In my daily routine, I listen to what is around me and try and feel and my make sense of my feelings. I know that when I am laughing and smiling that I am enjoying what I am doing. I know also the signs of fear, that increasing heart rate and shortening of the breath! Specifically increasing the joyful aspects and minimizing the periods of fear has become a hallmark of my life. Yoga meditation and contemplation are part of my routine and allow me to focus on the important issues. Focus can overcome blocks to my learning and interaction with others. It also allows me to be driven by passion. Mapping out the day and undertaking tasks that will move me forward are the focus. I know when I am on the right track when I smile, laugh and feel the warmness dwell up through my spine and envelope my body! This all comes back down to that daily routine that is focused to maximize the opportunities! When I apply those lessons to business this allows me to get the tasks done in a fashion to move forward!

In summary, laying the groundwork for focussed daily routines might get you towards that 5-year objective by staying present in the here and now!’

Andrew Elphick

One Half of Anywhere Business Network

Do you have all the skills or can you outsource them?

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Need help running your business?

When you are running a small operation sometimes you need to learn about different tasks and you think that you can’t afford them! This results in missing marketing opportunities as you are limited in what you know. Mentoring, peer support, outsourcing and collaboration can minimise risk those lost opportunities because you get the advice and support you need.  Joining online forums and taking part in online learning should not be under-estimated because there are lots of people out there like you seeking answers and lots of people who have the answers. Ask, seek, learn, collaborate.

Planning your day to include networking and learning can make all the difference to your success.

Ask yourself what does your day look like? Today is a good day to start making room for your future success!

 

6 months ago I did not have a clue that you could buy an image like this over the internet for $USD5.00. I did not know!!! Using a platform that specialises in online learning of digital skills taught me about! 

Do you want your own brand and logo and more? Fivver.com can fix you up with these in in 24-48 hours and even less!!!!!

Follow us on Facebook or signup to our web page

Andrew Elphick

Half of Anywhere Team NZ

Remember yourself

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Look After yourself

February is a month of love!

The passion between two people is a powerful force! An even more important force is that love reserved for yourself! Without that love for yourself, we are sometimes lost in the power of other emotions and that feeling can be very draining! It is best sometimes to reserve some me time to get back in balance, to re-feel the passion for yourself and in turn, others see that passion. Without that time, we become an existence! Passion takes many forms but sometimes it is as simple as a change in mindset. An example of the types of exercises that you could nurture are affirmations, exercise, and self-care by way of yoga and massage! These simple things start back that desire and hence our external outlook! For more tips on mindset, follow the link!

Andrew
Half of the Anywhere Business Network

Working from home tools

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Working from home- goals and plans

If you are going to truely benefit from being in business for yourself and working from home you need to have a plan and set yourself some goals. Working from home should be taken as seriously as working for an employer. The only person you are accountable to is yourself and you need to take that seriously.

Click the link through to the blog on my website and find out how to do this. Let me know what you think.

Kerri Bainbridge

Anywhere Team NZ